


Zorro

by Karios



Category: Forever (TV 2014)
Genre: Background Abigail Morgan/Henry Morgan, Cookies, Family Fluff, Gen, Halloween, Halloween Costumes, Kid Fic, Zorro (TV 1957) References
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-23
Updated: 2020-10-23
Packaged: 2021-03-09 02:53:37
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 986
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27166855
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Karios/pseuds/Karios
Summary: Among Henry's photos of Abraham is one labelled 'Zorro 31 October 1957'.
Relationships: Abe Morgan & Henry Morgan
Comments: 12
Kudos: 23
Collections: Trick or Treat Exchange 2020





	Zorro

**Author's Note:**

  * For [sea_level](https://archiveofourown.org/users/sea_level/gifts).



> I noticed you like kid fic so I went with a festive slice-of-life from Abe's childhood. 
> 
> Happy Halloween!

The front door banged open and shut, a backpack hit the ground in the hall, and then Abraham burst into the kitchen, declaring, “I need an extra neato costume this year.”

“Costume for what?” Henry inquired, trying his best not to sound too interested. “Certainly not Halloween, the holiday you declared you were far too old to celebrate just this morning when you mocked your mother's baking.” He slid a plate of frosted ghost-shaped and pumpkin-shaped shortbreads toward Abraham.

“Okay, so I was wrong. Apparently my new school takes Halloween very seriously and with two weeks to go everyone's boasting about what they’ve bought or what their moms are putting together. This may be my last chance to turn my reputation around from just ‘the new kid’.”

Henry opened his mouth to reply, but Abraham went on, “And I know you say that new people and places are opportunities, but right now it doesn't feel like one. It just stinks.”

Henry knew this last move had been hard. Abraham had been angry, sullen, prone to biting remarks. All of his reactions Henry privately agreed were warranted, even while Henry kept encouraging Abraham to make the best of it. 

This was the first spark of enthusiasm he’d seen out of Abraham since they’d arrived here, and it was a major relief to see his son excited about something again. "Of course I'll help. Tea?"

"I'm good with juice." Abraham poured himself a glass and then plunked down in the chair opposite Henry, eyeing the plate of proffered festive sweets, surreptitiously.

Henry selected a ghost, and bit into it wisp-end first. “No one is too old for a good sweet.”

Abraham snatched up two of the pumpkins and wolfed one down. “I already have an idea. There's this new TV program out called Zorro. To be Zorro, he's the main guy, I'd need a cape, and a white shirt, and an old bandana or tie that I can cut eye holes in for his mask.”

The list was accompanied with a spray of crumbs. The way he attacked an after-lessons snack was a more entertaining sign of the impending teenage years than his moody temper, but probably not the best habit to encourage. “Chew and swallow with your mouth closed, please, Abraham,” Henry admonished in spite of his fondness for the heedless enthusiasm of youth.

Abraham shot him a put-upon look, but gulped down a swallow of juice and wiped his mouth, returning a now-decapitated ghost to his plate. “Dad, this is serious.”

Henry put effort into schooling his features into a more neutral expression. “You have me at your complete disposal,” Henry assured his son. “I am sure we can also enlist the help of someone with the best stitch work I know if we ask very nicely.”

Abraham stared down at his plate. "She's not mad at me for this morning?"

"Your mother and I understood. We know this hasn't been fair or easy, but we're doing our best."

"I know, Dad."

They snacked and sipped their respective beverages.

Abraham suddenly sat up straight. "Will you watch the show with me tonight? To make sure we get the details perfect."

"If you finish all of your lesson work before it comes on, I will. Then we can get started on your costume right after the program finishes."

"It's a deal." Abraham hugged Henry briefly, snatched up another shortbread, and raced to get his backpack.

Unsurprisingly, Abraham managed to get through the evening's assignments in record time and with mostly passable penmanship. True to his word, that evening Henry settled in to watch Zorro establish his lair and give his closest confidant a tour of his secret passageways. 

Henry could relate to the challenges of a double life, even though he and the masked man on television were harboring very different secrets. Henry admired even a fictional man of strong principles, so watching along had been less of a chore than he had anticipated.

Better still on the costume front, Henry also owned a tie in that style. For all the clothing he lost, enough odds and ends hung around. With a bit of digging, Abraham found a shirt that they repurposed with a bit of tailoring and dye. Getting the mask right took more than one attempt, and added a few bits of scrap cloth to the cleaning supplies bin.

They decided Abraham could wear his own boots; there was no sense in purchasing new shoes for one evening. However the overcoat they ended up purchasing new. Adding the decorative flourishes to the edges and trim was the biggest commitment in both materials and time. 

It came down to the wire but they completed it all in time that two weeks later, the Morgan family settled in for the next Zorro instalment together with Abraham still fully decked out in costume. The miniature Zorro combed through his candy haul during the advertisements. As the closing credits ran, Henry slipped out of the room for one final surprise.

Abraham's eyes went wide and shiny as soon as he noticed the object Henry was carrying. "Is that what it looks like?"

Henry grinned. "A real fencing foil, yes." 

Abraham reached for it. "Can I swing it around?"

"Maybe after a few lessons," Henry hedged.

"Awww." Abraham deflated a bit.

"We can take a polaroid to show to your schoolmates though, if you promise to hold it still," Abigail suggested.

Abraham agreed readily. "Okay, I promise!"

Abraham looked significantly buoyed as Henry helped him pose into a stance worthy of Zorro. Abigail touched up Abraham's mustache and straightened his tie.

Henry carefully positioned the foil, snapped a few shots, and only then, let Abraham take a swing at him. His technique definitely needed work, but at least Abraham was smiling again.

When 'Zorro' got home from school the next afternoon, Henry knew it had been worth all the work.


End file.
